How to Remove a Dark Theme on Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to MIUI 12-15

The dark theme on Xiaomi smartphones has become a standard feature since MIUI 10, but not everyone likes it.Some prefer the classic light interface because of better readability in daylight, some face display bugs in apps, and some are just tired of the monotony of the black background. In this article, we will explore all possible ways to turn off the dark theme – from basic settings to hidden commands for power users.

It’s important to understand that Xiaomi has integrated a dark theme at the system level, and its behavior depends on the version of MIUI, the smartphone model (Redmi Note 12, Poco X5, Xiaomi 13T, etc.) and even on the installed shells (for example, HyperOS on new devices). We tested all methods on the current firmware in 2026 and highlighted those that work stably. If you tried to remove a dark theme through standard settings, but it comes back after a reboot, the article has a solution for this case.

1. Standard dark theme disable via MIUI settings

The most obvious way is to use built-in options, which is suitable for 90% of users and works on all versions of MIUI 12-15, as well as the new HyperOS.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the Screen section (or the Display on some models).
3. Select Dark Theme (may be called Dark Theme Mode or Color Scheme).
4. Switch the slider to the off position. or select the Light option.

On some devices (such as the Redmi Note 11 or Poco F4), the path may be slightly different: Settings → Display → Additional settings → Dark theme.

The dark topic has disappeared from the main menu.|Applications (YouTube, Chrome) are displayed in light mode|The notification panel turned light|Keyboard (Gboard or Xiaomi) has changed the theme-->

⚠️ Warning: If the dark theme returns after a few minutes, check the battery settings and performance → Power saving mode: Some profiles automatically activate dark mode to save charge.

2. disabling dark theme for individual applications

MIUI allows you to customize the color scheme for each application, which is useful if you like the dark interface of the system, but individual programs (such as Google Chrome or Telegram) are not displayed correctly.

1. Press the app icon on the home screen and select Application Information (or Information).
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select Dark Theme.
3. Set the switch to the position Follow the system settings or Always light.

Not all apps support this feature, such as Instagram and TikTok ignore MIUI settings and use their own theme-switching logic, in which case you will have to change the theme directly within the app itself.

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If there is no Dark Theme item in the app list, upgrade MIUI to the latest version, which is available in MIUI 13 and later.

3. Resetting a dark theme through Developer Mode

If the standard methods didn't work, you can use the hidden settings for developers, which is suitable for power users and requires caution.

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and tap on MIUI Version 7 times. A notification will appear "You became a developer."
2. Return to the main Settings menu and open a new Developer section (usually at the bottom of the list).
3. Find Forced to Enable Light Theme (or Override Force-Dark) and activate it.
4. Reset the device.

This parameter causes the system to ignore the dark theme settings at the Android kernel level, but the method has side effects:

• 🔄 Some apps (such as Google Maps) may not display correctly.
• 📱 On Xiaomi AMOLED-This will increase battery consumption by 5-10%.
• 🔧 After updating MIUI tuning may reset.

4. disable dark theme through ADB (for advanced users)

If all previous methods failed, you can use a low-level ADB command. This is a radical way that is guaranteed to turn off a dark topic even on customized firmware. Attention: improper use of ADB can lead to system failures.

Instructions:

1. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → For Developers.
2. Connect your smartphone to your PC and open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with the platform-tools.
3. Follow the command to check the connection: Adb devices Make sure your device appears in the list.
4. Turn off the dark theme forcefully: adb shell settings put secure ui_night_mode 1 (where 1 — bright-themed, 2 — dark, 0 — automatic).
5. Reboot the device: adb reboot

If the theme is dark again after the reboot, check for conflicting apps (like Dark Mode Scheduler or Tasker with automatic rules). F3, Xiaomi 12 Pro needs to be completed:

adb shell cmd uimode night no

Standard settings MIUI|Developer mode|ADB-team|Reset to factory settings|Nothing helps.-->

5 Problems and Bugs: Why the Dark Theme Comes Back

Many Xiaomi users are faced with a situation where a dark theme is turned on automatically despite manual shutdown.

• ⏰ Dark theme schedule: MIUI can automatically switch the theme over time (for example, from 22:00 to 7:00). → Screen. → Dark subject matter → Schedule and turn off the option.
• 🔋 Power saving mode: In battery settings (Settings) → Battery → Power saving mode) can be activated with the option "Dark theme to save charge.
• 📱 Launcher conflict: If you use a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher or Apex), it can override system settings. MIUI Launcher.
• 🔄 Update MIUI: After updating the firmware, the theme settings may be reset. Check the software version in Settings → The phone.

On devices with HyperOS (such as Xiaomi 14 or Redmi K70), a new theme control mechanism is added, "Adaptive Color Scheme", and to turn off dark mode completely, you need to:

1. Go to Settings → Screen → Adaptive color scheme.
2. Turn off the slider Automatic switching.
3. Manually choose Light in the manual setting section.

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On Xiaomi with HyperOS, a dark theme can be activated due to the Adaptive Color feature, which analyzes lighting through an ambient light sensor. Turn it off if you want full control of the theme.

6.Reset to factory settings as a last resort

If all the previous methods failed and the dark theme continues to turn on on itself, it leaves the device completely reset, which is a radical solution that will return all settings to the state out of the box.

• 📱 Make a backup of the data through Settings → Google → Backup or Mi Cloud Backup.
• 🔐 Make sure you remember the password from your Mi Account – you will need confirmation after the reset.
• 📋 Take a picture or take a picture of your important settings (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth devices, etc.).

Resetting instructions:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Choose to erase all data.
3. Confirm the action by entering a pattern lock or PIN-code.
4. Wait until the process is completed (it will take 5-10 minutes).

⚠️ Note: Devices with a locked bootloader (Redmi for the European market) may need to be linked to the Mi Account account that was used when you first set up. If you don't remember the login details, the reset will result in the phone being locked (so-called "Mi Account Lock") after a reset").

After discharge:

1. When you first enable, skip the suggestion to restore data from the backup (to avoid migrating old theme settings).
2. Turn off the dark theme immediately in Settings → Screen.
3. Install the apps manually by checking their theme settings.

7.Alternative solutions: launchers and third-party utilities

If you can't get a dark theme out of the box, you can go around the corner, using third-party launchers or apps to manage the theme, and this method doesn't turn off the dark theme at the system level, but it makes the interface visually light.

Popular solutions:

• 📱 Nova Launcher: Install the launcher from Google Play, then select Appearance in its settings → Dark subject matter → Off..Nova ignores settings MIUI And they use their own color scheme.
• 🎨 Hex Installer (requires root): The app allows you to change system themes at the framework level. Suitable for power users with an unlocked bootloader.
• 🌓 Tasker: Create a task that forcibly turns on a light theme when you start your phone.
• 🔧 Substratum Theme Engine (for root): Allows you to install custom themes, including fully light options for MIUI.

When using third-party launchers, consider:

• Some system applications (Settings, Phone, Messages) will still be displayed in a dark theme.
• Performance is only affected by Nova Launcher (minimum resource consumption).

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If you’re using Nova Launcher, install Whicons or Moonshine icons as they’re optimized for a light interface and visually complement the bright theme.

8. Frequent questions and problems